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Cookbooks

THE MALAYSIAN KITCHEN

Cookbook: 150 Recipes for Simple Home Cooking
A delicious and informal mashup of Southeast Asian and European influences, Malaysian cooking is full of flavor and easy to love. Chef and author Christina Arokiasamy brings it into the American home kitchen in this cookbook. This cuisine borrows from the traditions of Thailand, India, China, and Portugal. These dishes are varied as Chili Prawns, Salmon Tandoori, Hainanese Chicken Rice, and Grilled Lamb with Rosemary Pesto. Christina also gives recipes for authentic Malaysian favorites like Beef Rendang and Char Kway Teow Noodles, while also sharing her own modern iterations, such as Wok-Fried Spaghetti with Kale.
The Malaysian Kitchen Book Cover

THE SPICE MERCHANTS DAUGHTER

Published by Clarkson Potter- 2008 New York
The Spice Merchant's Daughter Book Image

It was the aroma. The exotic scent of spices: rich, alluring, and almost magical. A scent that would sometimes overpower the freshness in the air and sometimes subtly mingle with it to create a tantalizing bouquet. A scent that would always bring me back to my childhood.

Growing up enveloped in the aromas of her mother’s spice stall in Kuala Lumpur, Christina Arokiasamy developed an artist’s sense of how to combine and use spices in traditional and innovative ways. In The Spice Merchant’s Daughter, she shares her family’s spice secrets, expertly guiding and enticing home cooks to enliven their repertoires.

Christina weaves evocative stories of cooking at her mother’s side. With real-world practical advice gleaned not only from working in professional kitchens but also from tackling the nightly task of getting a home-cooked dinner on the table for her family of four using American ingredients. She shows how easy it is to build layers of complex flavor to create 100 tempting Southeast Asian-inspired recipes, including Lemon Pepper Wings, Spicy Beef Salad, Steamed Snapper with Tamarind-Ginger Sauce, Cardamom Butter Rice with Sultanas, and Coconut Flan Infused with Star Anise. She unlocks the transformative power of homemade spice rubs, curry pastes, and sauces, as well as chutneys and pickles, enabling home cooks to bring new depth and dimension to their favorite dishes.

The Spice Merchant’s Daughter both inspires and empowers, awakening the senses and unlocking the alluring world of spices.